Wheelchair Tennis Masters: Gordon Reid to end year as world number one

Gordon Reid has become the third British tennis player to finish 2016 as world number one, following fellow Scots Andy and Jamie Murray.

Reid beat Stephane Houdet in the semi-finals of the NEC Wheelchair Masters to confirm his status.

The 25-year-old, who won singles gold and doubles silver at the Rio Paralympics, won 6-2 6-1 at the Olympic Park in London.

“It feels incredible to be world number one,” Reid told BBC Sport.

“It has been the best year of my career and to come here in the last tournament of the year and take the number one spot off Stephane shows I have earned it.

“Tomorrow’s final is bonus territory.”

Jamie Murray is ranked as the world’s best men’s doubles player with Brazilian Bruno Soares while his younger brother Andy beat Novak Djokovic to cement his place as world number one.

Reid came into his match having only dropped one set in his three round-robin games and he was in superb form against the Frenchman, who occupied the top spot coming into the season-ending event.

He raced into a 4-0 lead in the first set and with Houdet struggling to cope with his power and precision, he quickly wrapped up victory over the 46-year-old.

He will face defending champion Joachim Gerard in the final after the Belgian beat Sweden’s Stefan Olsson 7-5 6-3.

Fellow Britain Andy Lapthorne lost his quad semi to Israel’s Itay Erenlib.

Lapthorne had won all six of his previous meetings against Erenlib but struggled to make an impact on Saturday and went down 6-2 6-4.

“I played horrible out there,” the 26-year-old said. “I think I am cursed here – I had bad luck in 2012 at the Paralympics and every time I come back here I don’t play well.

“It’s a difficult one to take, especially as I had so many people here to support me, but there is nothing I can do.”

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